Woody: How to be successful on the pro tour

Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, February 4, 2007

First off, I think its important to start with what defines success on the pro tour.

By Mike Woody

What does it take to be successful on the pro tour?

First off, I think its important to start with what defines success on the pro tour. I would define success as the ability of players to get to a stage where they can support themselves in the game and all the expenses that they incur.

I also want to clarify that all of the pros we see in Midland are successful in that they all have achieved so much as junior players  many are or were tops in their countries. They have won national- and world-level tournaments, but the success I am speaking of is the ability to be self-sustaining and supportive on their results.

Resilience

To be successful, players must be able to handle winning and losing in stride. They have to recover quickly and get back on the court and train. I am amazed at how many of these athletes get right back on the court and start training at a high level after a loss. Do they get upset? Certainly, but they dont pout long. Its the loss that fuels them to work harder, improve on their strengths and overcome their weaker areas.

Flexiblility

Its called traveling, delays, new countries, different systems and laws, and time zone changes. Being flexible and not coming unraveled are strong attributes every successful player has.

Luck

Any time you have success, there is always a little luck involved. It might be in the form of how a draw comes out or catching a highly-ranked player at the right time. Being at the right place and right time is part chance, but it is also a matter of putting yourself in those positions more often.

If you play more tournaments and matches, you are more likely to be in the right position.

Support

Initially, it takes financial support from a sponsor, parents, agents, or country for the professional just to be on the tour. Playing on the tour can cost up to $2,000-$3,000 a week, when you consider air travel, lodging, food, renting a car, equipment care, and some entertainment.

This does include the cost of the coach, parent, or support people traveling with the player. Expenses are high if you are going to make it on the tour. That is why when they play the Dow Corning Tennis Classic, players say they always have fantastic hospitality, because we adopt the players  we feed them, transport them, and give them great support.

When players support runs out and they are not winning matches, their careers will be tough to continue. Unlike professional team sports, where players receive a salary regardless of a win or loss, individual sport athletes only get paid if they have the results  unless, of course they have an advertising contract.

Athleticism and physical attributes

To be successful, each pro has some combination of the following that has allowed her to achieve this level of status. Power and strength allow her to produce and hit explosive shots. Speed and endurance are critical to covering the court and being able to deliver a high level of intensity from start to finish in matches lasting up to 3 1/2 hours.

Competitiveness and match smarts will allow a player at critical times to make the right decision and put her game into overdrive. She knows how to change her game plan and has the intuition to know when to stick to it. At times it may mean losing in the short term, but grinding it out in the long term.

Lastly, some players are built to last, some are not. Injuries may come sporadically or not at all. Those players who are more prone to injury will have a hard time being successful on the tour.

In conclusion, there are many factors that will lead to success. There is no exact science of predictability of what will lead to a players success. But it is certain there are factors that could make the path smoother.

Next up:

What Ive learned from the professional players of the Dow Corning Tennis Classic.